Caitlin Clark posing at the WNBA Draft after being selected as the number one overall pick by the Indiana Fever. (Photo Brad Penner/USA Today Sports/Reuters)
By Owen Kutlu, Staff Writer
In the 2024 WNBA Draft, held on April 15, fans eagerly waited to see where the top prospects would land. Here’s a recap of the notable moments and key picks:
Former Iowa star Caitlin Clark was selected with the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever. Known for her elite playmaking and shooting, Clark was unanimously predicted to be the top pick all year and is expected to make an immediate impact in the league. Many will be itching to see how her level compares to those in the league. One thing for sure is that Clark has already brought a massive upgrade in media coverage to the WNBA.
Other rookies that generated buzz leading up to the draft included Cameron Brink and Angel Reese. These players were coveted for their dominance in college basketball (Brink at Stanford and Reese at LSU) over the past few years and are also expected to contribute significantly to their respective professional teams from the start. Brink was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Sparks, and Reese was picked at number seven by the Chicago Sky.
As is typical in most drafts, there were trades and surprises throughout the night. Some teams opted to trade picks for established veterans, while others were aggressive and took a risk on young talent they felt could help out their franchise for years to come. The Sky was a team that followed the latter path. They sent a 2025 second-round pick and Sika Kone to the Minnesota Lynx, along with a first-round pick swap in next year’s draft to move up one spot and select Reese.
The 2024 draft class was praised for its depth and talent across multiple positions. Teams were able to find quality players throughout the entirety of the draft, indicating the strength and growth of women’s college basketball in recent years. The league may be seeing influxes of talent year after year as players continue to develop at the college level. These young players promise a bright future for the league and are bound to have an instant effect.
The draft was an intriguing event that set the stage for the upcoming season, as a new generation of women looks to take over the league. With talented rookies joining established stars, WNBA fans have a lot to look forward to as teams gear up for another exciting year of basketball. The first regular season game will tip off on May 14.
